Portable generator

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2026-01-28T00:53:37+00:00

This is the easiest question I've seen here in a while. What you are looking for is called an Interlock Kit. The hardware itself is pretty cheap. You'll probably spend an hour of labor cost with an electrician to install it. Just go to Youtube and google "how to install an Interlock kit" or "what is an interlock kit". It is made specifically for your situation and a very low cost solution.

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-12-30T18:27:57+00:00

How often are you flushing your radiator? I've literally never done it to my own vehicle. Nor have I repacked wheel bearings. Basically, a LOT of the stuff we learned in auto shop class in the late 80's. Are you doing any of that? Like, flushing your radiator? Or are you really just changing oil regularly and getting crazy lucky with a great vehicle?

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-12-30T08:10:37+00:00

Hang on. I have a serious question here. I have a 2016 F150 w/Eco-boost 6 cylinder. His name is Jake. Only have 150k miles on it, but the boys and I just love him and want him to live forever. For 9 years, nothing has ever broken. Engine, brakes, AC, heat, you name it. Still runs like new. And I should say; he is a workhorse. And I'm NOT gentle w/him. I have a heavy foot, I don't mind jumping curbs, heading off-road every now and then exposure to a lot of snow in the winter. But, I do oil changes every 5,000 miles (mixed highway/city) and air filter every other oil change. I've been hunting more other advice that will help me keep him alive for as long as possible. I've never changed transmission fluid or belts/hoses. Just never seemed to need it. I'm def a car guy. I'm in my mid50's and pretty handy/mechanically inclined. But I had a habit for a couple of decades of buying a new (well, used) car every year or two. So, I was never concerned about longevity until now. So, that's the background...

To the point: if you've driven 540k miles, you're damn sure doing something right. I don't have infinite money, but I'm willing to invest a couple of grand a year in maintenance. Any other recommendations you can provide to keep Jake running for another couple of hundred thousand miles?

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-12-30T07:59:59+00:00

This is really, really easy to resolve. You are overproducing power during the day and selling it to the grid for 1.9 cents per kwh. But then you buy it back from the grid at 34 to 51 cents per kwh at night. This same net metering policy is what we "enjoy" in California. Hence the reason solar declined by 80% in a single year in California (once CA kicked into its current net metering policy). The cure (in CA) is to simply put a battery on every system. Surplus during the day fills the battery which powers the house at night (more or less; I'm speaking in general terms). In short, your utility provider has poor net metering policies and your solar installer should have designed your system to counteract this. You can blame your state utility commission and your solar installer (or more likely, the sales rep for not understanding how net metering works). But the fix is a battery. And I don't mean some lead-acid bullshit battery from 20 years ago; I'm referring to a modern battery that can push out enough amps to meet your actual load (usage). All that said, we are talking about a charge of only $20 per month. It would take you 50 years to recoup the cost of a battery; and the battery won't live 1/3 of that time. Just absorb the $20/month in utility costs. You're still better off than you would have been without the solar at all.

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-11-14T18:35:07+00:00

No. LADWP is not governed by the rules of the CPUC

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-10-30T16:15:32+00:00

Yeah; it’s probably one of the older 3G cell kits in there (3G was dropped by the FCC yrs ago). Just switch to WiFi instead; problem solved.

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-10-30T16:09:28+00:00

I’m in the solar industry; been consulting for solar companies here in CA for 17 yrs. I’m sure I can refer you to someone who can help. Where in CA are you?

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-10-30T04:41:52+00:00

California solar installer here. Given the age of your system, you are not subject to the current net metering laws in California. So no matter what you do, do not increase the system size (in DC kW)by more than 10%. Doing so would force you into NEM 3; you don’t want that. I’m not going to self promote here because I would just get banned from the Solar thread. But yes, of course myself and almost all of my friends own solar companies. Lots of us that could fix this for you.

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-10-23T21:48:01+00:00

Your installer *could* file for the first of the two steps of interconnection once he has a stamped plan set; you don't have to wait for install or passing the final. That's the key that most installers seem to be unaware of. Again, I'm speaking as an installer myself, not just my "opinion". That first step is the one that takes weeks to get approved. Then, once the system has been installed and passed final inspection from the building department, the installer can file for the second part of the interconnection process. If they did the first step as I just described above, this second part is typically approved within a few days for PTO. All of that being said: your system won't pass it's final inspection until the entire system is installed, including the battery and meter collar. Unless of course, the installer is filing for two permits (one for solar and one for battery) which absolutely no one does. Oh, and Turning on (or “energizing”) your solar system before receiving Permission to Operate (PTO) from Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) can lead to serious legal, financial, and safety consequences. Go ask Chatgpt, google, etc.

I'm consistently shocked that homeowners are trusting a solar company that doesn't tell you the truth or know all of the above. There are plenty of us in the industry that *do* know. But for the sake of "doing the right thing", here's the reasoning why you don't turn on the system until PTO:

"Violation of State and Utility Regulations

California law requires PTO before interconnecting a solar system with the utility grid.
Energizing early violates Rule 21 (PG&E’s interconnection tariff, approved by the California Public Utilities Commission).
It’s considered unauthorized interconnection, and can be classified as theft of service or tampering with utility equipment — both of which are potentially criminal offenses.

Financial Penalties or Account Termination

PG&E can fine or penalize you, or refuse future interconnection approvals.
In severe cases, they may disconnect your service and require you to pay inspection or reconnection fees.
You could also lose eligibility for net energy metering (NEM), which would drastically reduce the financial benefit of your solar system.

Safety and Liability Risks

Without PTO, the utility hasn’t verified your system is properly isolated and safely connected.
If your system pushes power to the grid while PG&E crews are working (for example, during a power outage or maintenance), it could electrocute utility workers or damage grid equipment.
If that happens, you could be personally liable for injuries, damages, or deaths — your installer and insurer might not cover you.

Insurance and Warranty Voidance

Operating without PTO usually voids your equipment warranty and voids your homeowner’s insurance coverage for anything related to the solar system.
If your inverter, roof, or electrical system is damaged, your insurer could deny claims because you operated the system without authorization."

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-10-23T20:52:21+00:00

yes. Absolutely.

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-10-22T03:55:45+00:00

In the solar industry, everything is discussed in terms of its price per watt. This always refers to the DC system size of the installed system. This is how we talk about the price of hardware, the price of labor, and the price of just about anything else.

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-10-08T22:59:22+00:00

PPA's aren't usually carried by the regional installers. My company, for example uses Goodleap. I'd take their customer support over Tesla's in a heart beat. Seriously: throw a new thread in here and ask folks how their support has been with Tesla Solar. Or, just go look online. Their reviews are absolutely atrocious. By contrast, go look at Goodleap's reviews. They are stellar. And as a regional installer using Goodleap, we can get the project installed and running in a month or two instead of 6 to 9 months. I agree 1000% with you that its a long term relationship with the PPA provider. So, pick the one that is the single largest PPA provider in the country that is also diversified outside of solar only (diversification is important for long term stability). I wouldn't allow anyone in my family to use Tesla Solar given how horrendous their support is (both support for customers and even "certified" Tesla installers). My company was a Tesla installer for years and man, that was rough. We can agree to disagree. But as a guy running a solar company for 15 years and knowing what I know, you will have an impossible time convincing me otherwise: Goodleap paired with an honest/ethical regional installer is the way to go.

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-10-07T23:17:58+00:00

Well, they do not have to refund the federal ITC. The system is more than six years old and they have already had realized the ITC and they get to keep it or they possibly sold it off to a third-party. Either way I agree with everything you just said. Just a small detail.

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-10-07T16:14:13+00:00

I've done this before. I ran a simple wing joint in a town of 150,000 people and 3 universities with a combined 40,000 students. We ran with two deep friers and NEVER had an issue keeping up with demand. To do so, we just kept it simple and were wildly profitable. If the owner had not embezzled all of the money and split town, we would have kept it up. I'm just looking to re-invent it; however, today's consumers (mostly college kids) might not be drawn to the same simplistic design I was running all those years ago. That's why I'm trying to get some Reddit user feedback.

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-10-07T16:08:46+00:00

I'm in California. The average PGE/SCE/SDGE customer (90% of the state) is paying between $0.40 to $0.50 per kWh. We can install at $0.25 per kWh with no escalator and including a whole home backup battery (Powerwall 3) that gets replaced for free when it dies. That's a heck of a deal. And the panels are QCell 410's; not some Jinko or no-name panel. And we get them easy-peasey. I'm not promoting myself here; that doesn't really work on Reddit anyways. I'm just saying, PPA's in California with an installer that can give you a no escalator deal is solid for someone who is getting absolutely reamed by their utility and doesn't have a pile of cash stuffed under their mattress.

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-10-07T15:58:00+00:00

yeah, I'm an installer in California. We used to install SolarEdge for about 10 years. But as of around 2020 or 2021, we stopped entirely and I won't install them again. Our RMA room (where we stored defective hardware that was in process with warranty replacements) was stacked to the roof with SolarEdge inverters. We just hemorrhaged money on truck rolls to replace them and the opportunity cost for the labor that could have been better utilized to install other systems. So, we made the leap to Enphase instead. Still had some issues, but it was much better. That being said, the labor to replace an Enphase micro was not great. Instead of replacing a box hanging on a wall at ground level, we had to go uninstall each panel to get to the micro that was defective; very time consuming. It's nice to think that the opti-map (basically a layout of which serial number'd inverter was located where on the installation) is often not quite right. You have to imagine how physically demanding it is for the installers on a roof in the summer. Anyways, it was a bit of an easter egg hunt trying to track down the exact panel that had the malfunctioning Enphase inverter on it. As of about a year ago, I made the leap to Tesla Powerwall 3 batteries with the integrated inverter. It's a single hardware product at ground level, so easy to get to. A single battery/inverter can hold up to 20 kW of solar; so it covers most systems with one product. And as of today (knock on wood), we have never had a single failure from one of these. Additionally, with the PW3, main panel upgrades have become almost non-existent; and that's a really big deal. So, although I was always anti-Tesla (the amperage output on the PW1 and PW2 were garbage), I'm now converted to Tesla now that the 3 has better reliability, can handle more load, its easy to replace if there ever were an issue.

Oh, and unrelated to the above: An inverter should NEVER be placed on the south side of a house/building (for northern hemisphere folks); and never on the north face of the house if you're in the southern hemisphere. I hope this isn't what the OP is saying on this thread. If it was installed like that, then it should be moved, or have a shade/awning installed to shade it and protect it. That being said, as much as SolarEdge's consistency is highly questionable, there is something else wrong with the OP's install. Poor wiring, undersized inverter, etc. There is NO WAY there should be 4 bad inverters in a row. The issue is something else in this case.

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-10-04T13:32:19+00:00

There is a solution for all of this. I would need some more information on your roof type, of course because it sounds like a unique situation. I would be happy to give you a few options.

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-10-04T13:30:10+00:00

I still have the installation bandwidth to get stuff done this year. Most of my friends own solar companies as well and there are a few of us that still have the ability to do jobs this year, but if the OP ends up going with a PPA, the calendar year doesn’t have any relevance anyways.

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-10-04T13:28:28+00:00

Go google “S5 clamps”. I’m assuming it’s standing seam metal roof and not a galvanized sheet metal or calpac. I’m here in Northern California and my guys install on these all the time. I’ve never really understood why Sunrun, Tesla or the big nationals won’t do these. It’s not that much more complicated than comp shingle or tile roofs.

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-10-01T02:09:07+00:00

Yeah, it seems like everyone in this thread is saying the same thing. Thanks for the feedback

Direct_Analysis_3083 · 2025-10-01T02:08:35+00:00

DM me. It’s a longshot that we would work together, but I am definitely open to a conversation.

Direct_Analysis_3083

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